Start Now: Everyday is a new opportunity for a fresh start

A Personal Reflection

As a PhD student in Special Education, one of my major goals right now is to prepare for my comprehensive exam. This website is part of that process, a place to showcase the materials I have created, the research I have done, and the work I continue to build during my doctoral journey.

And in this this process, building this website has been one of the most meaningful parts of my doctoral journey so far. While I'm conscious that the goal of my portfolio, or the main purpose, of course is to showcase my thinking and journey around disability rights and inclusive education, and to showcase the evidence of my work as a PhD student in Special Education. My greatest hope is to pass the exam and show my committee how much effort and commitment I have put into this journey.

But even beyond that, I feel proud and joyful for another reason: I built this website myself. I had never created a website before, and it took time, energy, and a lot of trial and error. The process was not easy, between limited internet, time constrains, learning new tools, and reworking ideas, but I stayed committed. I invested in a professional template, put in long hours, and taught myself step by step. Some instructions that would be simple for a technology expert took me hours to figure out. My internet connection made the process even slower. I even ended up redoing the website because I wanted to bring the best version of my work.

Still, I kept going. In investing in a professional template, I paid for the tools I needed, and spent long nights working on it. Yesterday, I didn’t even sleep because I wanted my advisor to see the difference between the older version and the new one I am presenting now.

Along the way, I also learned that I could have hired someone to build it for me—it would have cost around $300, which is about what I spent to secure my domain and tools. But I realized that the point is not who builds the website. The point is whether the website reflects your voice, your journey, and your vision.

For me, this process was not just about a website. It was about starting where I am, refusing to give excuses, and believing in myself. If I had waited for the “perfect conditions,” I would not have this space today. In the end, I created a space that reflects who I am and the work I do.

What I have learned is this: start where you are, and believe in yourself. If I had waited for the perfect conditions, or given excuses, this site would not exist. People are paid to build websites, and yes, it took me longer than it might take someone else. But what matters is that it reflects my journey, my vision, and my belief in education and inclusion.

So here is my message to you, and I will repeat: start where you are, believe in yourself, and stop giving excuses. It may take more time, it may not be perfect, but it will reflect who you are. And that is worth it.

What I would love to share to anyone reading this is simple: don’t wait, start today. Believe that you can. I believe.

With gratitude,

Vanessa Macamo